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Samsung Q530 laptop review

A stylish 15.6in laptop with Nvidia graphics

Review details

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Our verdict

A large, well-designed and reasonably fast machine, the Q530 is likely to appeal to those after a desktop replacement. But the office is very much where the device will stay given its size and battery life, and we can see many business users opting for the smaller and cheaper Q330 instead.

Pros:

Great design; large, comfortable and responsive keyboard; large screen with crisp display.

Cons:

Small trackpad; expensive compared to the Q330; too large for on-the-go use

After being suitably impressed by the baby of the Q Series from Samsung, the Q330, we were keen to see how the head of the family, the Q530, performed. More importantly, we wanted to find out whether its price tag of £799 could be justified, especially considering the Q330 is £200 cheaper.

The first thing you notice on looking at the Q530 is its size. With dimensions of 381mm x 256mm x 32.75mm, it's a fair bit larger than the 13.3in Q330. Despite its bulky nature, it weighs only 2.39Kg, compared to 1.97kg for the Q330.

We were impressed with the physical design of the Q330, and the Q530 looks identical aside from its size.

As with most 15.6in laptops, though, it’s not best suited to use on the go, and will probably spend most of its time in the office as a desktop replacement.

The display is fantastic for watching videos and editing pictures, spreadsheets and presentations, making it suitable for creative types and executives alike.

It should be noted, however, that it has the same 1,366 x 768 resolution as the 13.3in Q330, so it will simply make the Windows desktop look bigger as opposed to allowing more to be squeezed onto the screen.

Furthermore, the extra width means that, unlike the Q330, the Q530 comes with a full-length keyboard complete with numeric keypad - ideal for those who find a laptop keyboard small and fiddly.

Just like the other laptops in the range, the Q530 also comes with island-style keys, making for a nice, responsive typing sensation, but it also suffers from the same small trackpad and cheap-feeling buttons as the Q330.

Being consigned to office use means the issue of battery life is probably not quite as important as usual, but it still claims to pack a solid five hours if it does need to be taken into the wild.